History was made in Iceland as celebrants danced down the streets of Reykjavik on Feb. 16 to mark the first-ever completion and inauguration of a Sefer Torah on the European island, following a reception last Thursday at the home of the U.S. Ambassador to Iceland.

For more than 1,000 years of its recorded history up to just about two years ago, Iceland never hosted a full-time Jewish institutional presence. Aside from ad hoc shul that existed during World War II set up by Jews who were fleeing the Nazis, communal observances of Jewish life in this remote country have always been few and far between.

That all changed with the May 2018 arrival of Rabbi Avi and Mushky Feldman as emissaries of the global Chabad-Lubavitch movement. The couple established the island nation’s first permanent Jewish presence, and in just two short years have succeeded in anchoring a vibrant Jewish center in Reykjavik. Now, they’re welcoming a new Sefer Torah that will call Reykjavik home.

The Jewish community of Reykjavik can thank Uri Krauss of Zurich, Switzerland, for their new treasure. Grateful for reaching the milestone of his 50th birthday, Krauss felt that donating a Sefer Torah would be an appropriate undertaking for his new chapter in life. After consulting with his local Chabad rabbi and conducting some personal research, Krauss felt that Iceland would be the perfect place for a new Sefer Torah.

Read more at Chabad.org